Understanding
by Emma-Lynn
Summary: Bella is left home alone, bored out of her mind, and her best friend Edward is out with another girl. But what happens when he surprises her? BPOV, all human, wayy better than the summary!


_**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine but the plot!**_

Valentine's Day. I didn't completely detest the day. I just didn't exactly agree with it. Valentine's Day was a Hallmark holiday, created solely for the purpose of increasing card sales between Christmas and Easter, and making men and women, boys and girls alike, painfully aware of their single status. However, I suppose it was a nice holiday if you had someone to spend it with, whether it be a boyfriend or just a group of your girlfriends. Chocolate and flowers were always nice. However, it was not very fun when you are completely alone on the dreaded day. Which was exactly what I was today.

Alice was out with Jasper of course, and Rose with Emmett. Jacob was out with his girlfriend of 2 months, Lizzie. Angela with Ben. And Charlie offered to work the late shift since he had nothing special to do tonight. And Edward…well Edward was out with _Tanya…_

Edward and I have been best friends since preschool and we have spent every Valentine's Day together, neither of us being quite fond of it. It wasn't that we were never asked out. I had a few admirers who had asked me; Mike, Eric, Justin…and Jacob used to pine after me. We dated for a couple months, but I had to explain to him that I thought we were better off as friends. He was upset for a little while, until he met Lizzie. Edward, of course, had many admirers. "Many" meaning the entire female population of Forks High. But Edward declined request after request. He rarely dated, and when he did, that's all he did. Just dates. He's never taken the same girl out more than twice. Until now…

It wasn't that I didn't like Tanya. She was generally friendly towards me and she wasn't overly snobby, albeit a bit flirty…well, a lot flirty. But I hadn't minded her, until Edward began to show a minor interest in her that is. Alice nosily pointed out to me that the only reason I suddenly felt animosity towards Tanya was that I had feelings for Edward. I had of course vehemently denied it, claiming that the feelings I had for Edward were completely platonic. He was my best friend!

However, as Edward and Tanya's relationship progressed to their third date, and then their fourth, and my animosity towards her continued to worsen, I couldn't deny it any longer. Alice was right. I had to endure a long squealing chorus of "I told you so!" and "I knew it!" from Alice when I told her this. She was ecstatic.

I don't understand how I could have been so blind! Of course I was in love with Edward! He was always there for me, from the time when I scraped my knee on the playground when I was 5, to the time he held me all night long while I cried the day my mother left when I was 12. It was always him, and I hadn't even seen it…

Alice claims he loves me as well, but I can't be sure. "Has he ever told you so?" I'd asked Alice. "Well…not in so many words, but he's my brother, I can tell! It's so obvious that the two of you are in love!" I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't keep down the bubble of hope in my chest that she was right…

But tonight, Edward was out with _Tanya_. And so here I sit in my bedroom, bored out of my mind, idly flipping channels on my 10 inch screen television, grimacing as I flick by romantic comedy, after romantic tragedy, after romantic love story. What was wrong with television producers? Didn't they realize that anyone who was home alone on Valentine's Day night would probably _not_ want to watch a romantic movie!? After scanning through all 20 of my channels twice, I grumbled to myself and forced myself out of my cocoon of blankets and made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I grabbed a bucket quart of _Ben & Jerry's Half-baked Ice-cream_ and a large spoon, deciding I might as well wallow in alone-ness while I watched _Titanic_, fantasizing it was me in Leonardo DiCaprio's arms and not Kate Winslet…

I dragged my feet up the stairs, patting myself on the back for having only tripped once. I plopped back onto my bed, and spooned a heaping spoonful of ice-cream into my mouth. I glanced at the TV. The station I had left it on was playing a hideous soap opera in Spanish. I sighed. Where was Edward when I needed him? We would always laugh together at the awful acting and make up ridiculous lines for them. I viciously stabbed my spoon back into my bucket of ice-cream and turned the TV back to the channel that _Titanic_ was playing on. It was at the part where Rose was "flying" at the bow of the boat. I watched in fascination, another spoonful of ice-cream hovering precariously over the bucket, half-way to my mouth. Unconsciously, my mind began to drift, and _I_ was on the bow of the grand ship, _my_ hair blowing in the wind… _My eyes were closed, and I felt strong arms encircle my waist. I smiled to myself and opened my eyes. But instead of seeing Leo's blue orbs, I found my self staring into a pair of deep green abyss._

"Edward." I whispered to myself. A sudden emptiness overwhelmed me, and to my horror, I felt a dampness fill my eyes.

Suddenly, a sharp rapping noise startled me out of my reverie, and I jumped, gasping as a cold glob of ice-cream landed on my bare leg. I turned to the window to find Edward peering in, perched on a tree branch, his face a mixture of amusement and apology. I quickly grabbed a tissue off my nightstand and wiped the glob of ice-cream off my leg before rushing to the window to slide it open.

He climbed in gracefully, landing agilely on his feet. "Sorry," he said sheepishly "I didn't mean to scare you."

I blushed and shut the window, shivering as the cold air hit me, clad in only short pajama shorts and a hoody. "What are you doing here?" I blurted. Edward raised an eyebrow and I blushed again. "I mean…I thought you were out with Tanya?" I had to work hard to keep the edge out of my voice when I said her name.

"I was." Edward answered vaguely. This time, _I_ raised an eyebrow, and _Edward_ blushed. That was strange…Edward hardly ever blushed. "Um…she's nice and all but she's a little…pushy…"

I narrowed my eyes at him but didn't press the matter further. "Ok…" I stood there awkwardly for a moment, not knowing what to say next, and bit my lip. Edward's blush deepened. "Um…do you want some ice-cream?" I asked him.

He stared at me, not answering, but looking like he wanted to say something…

"Edward?" I prompted. He quickly moved his eyes back to mine, and I realized he had been staring at my mouth. I blushed. "Did you want some ice-cream?"

"Oh, um sure…yeah, actually, that sounds great!" He said, suddenly enthusiastic. I grinned back at him, the unnatural ice having been broken.

"Be right back!" I said as I raced down the stairs to grab another spoon. I tripped twice in my haste to make it back upstairs. When I returned, Edward was already settled on my bed, his jacket discarded over my desk chair, digging into the ice-cream with my abandoned spoon. I jumped onto the bed next to him and dug my spoon in as well.

"Half-baked?" he asked smiling slightly, his eyebrows raised. I blushed. He knew I only ate rich ice-cream when I was angry or upset.

"Yeah, well…" I said dismissing the question. I glanced at the TV. He had switched it back to the Spanish soap opera. We both snorted as the woman on the television began sobbing hysterically as her supposed lover made a dramatic exit. "You could have used the front door you know?" I said smiling.

"Yeah, well I didn't know if Charlie was home or not and it's officially…10:14." He said glancing at the watch on his wrist that I had gotten him for his last birthday. Even though Edward and I had been best friends since we were 5, once he and I turned 13, Charlie made it a rule that Edward wasn't allowed in after 10. However, Edward frequently disregarded this rule, courtesy of my bedroom window.

Forty-five minutes later, we were scraping the bottom of the ice-cream bucket, wiping tears of mirth from our eyes as the Spanish soap opera ended.

"You know," Edward said, still laughing slightly, "we should really consider taking some Spanish lessons. Then maybe we'd actually understand what was going on!"

"Noo!" I complained smiling. "That'd take all the fun out of it!"

Edward laughed.

The TV turned to a paid programming advert and we were quiet. It was strange. Edward and I were never quiet together.

"So…" I began, "You gonna tell me why you skipped out on your date?"

Edward fiddled with the end of his T-shirt. "I didn't skip out on it I just…ended it a bit early…"

"You're avoiding the question." I observed.

Edward sighed a deep sigh and sat up. "Bella I…"

I sat up as well, noticing the serious tone in his voice. "What is it Edward?" I asked, trying to see his eyes, which he was hiding beneath his fringe, his head down.

He looked up and stared at me for a moment before smiling slightly. "Well, I was with her, and we were having a good time you know? But it…I don't know. Something was…um…missing…?" He looked at me pointedly.

I was extremely confused. "What do you mean?"

He ran a hand over his hair, took a deep breath and took my hands in his. "It's just, she's nice and everything but every time I go out with her, or any girl for that matter, I just…I just can't seem to get you out of my head Bella."

"Bella!?"

My eyes were wide as Edward and I stared at each other.

"Bella!?" Charlie yelled again.

"Um, up here dad!" I stuttered out, jumping to my feet, Edward right behind me. "Um…the closet! Quick!" I whispered, shoving him into my already jam packed closet, sliding the door closed after him. I rushed back to my bed, trying to make myself look relaxed. Which was quite hard to do while Edward's words kept running through my head; "I just can't seem to get you out of my head, Bella."

Charlie opened the door, and I looked up startled. "Hey dad!" I said breathlessly.

He looked at me curiously. "Are you ok? You look a bit…flushed."

"I'm fine!" I said quickly

"Are you sure? I thought I heard voices…"

"Probably just the TV." I said gesturing to it. Charlie glanced at it and I blushed as I realized the advert for "Muscle Machine" was still playing. He looked at me. "Uh…commercial." I explained. "There's some cold cuts left in the fridge if you're hungry." I said hastily.

"Oh, thanks Bells, but I think I'm just gonna head to bed. I stopped at a drive-through on the way home."

"Oh, ok. Goodnight then!"

"'Night Bells." Charlie said. I let out the breath I didn't realize I had been holding as the door clicked behind him.

I waited for the click of Charlie's bedroom door before tip-toeing over to the closet to let Edward out. I slid the door open to find Edward holding a pair of my dark blue lacey boy shorts underwear in front of my face, a suggestive smirk on his face.

"Edward!" I hissed, blushing as I grabbed them from him and stuffed them in the drawer behind me. I turned back to him, tucking my thumbs into my back pockets. I glanced at him shyly, biting my lip.

He was looking at me with an expression I'd never seen him wear before, and suddenly he was moving closer. His right hand rose to cup the side of my face, his eyes intense. His eyes dropped to my mouth and he smiled as he ran his thumb over my bottom lip, tugging it free of my teeth. His lips were close to mine now, and I could almost taste the scent of his breath. My heart beat rapidly. And finally, he pressed his lips to mine, and my eyelids fluttered shut.

He kissed me slow and sweet, in the pure innocence that was him, and I had to fight the moan threatening to escape my throat. His lips left mine and he kissed my bottom lip before pulling away.

I could feel his heart beating just as rapidly as mine from where my hands had unconsciously gripped his shirt. His green eyes met mine and I smiled at him.

He smiled back, his thumb stroking my cheek. "Do you understand now?" he whispered.

"Yes." I whispered back.

"I love you, Bella."

"I know," I said. And now, I did know. Not only had I been blind of my own love, but I'd been blind of Edward's as well. "And I love you, Edward."

He smiled my favorite crooked smile before pressing his lips to mine once again.

_**A/N: So there it is! My first Twilight fan-fic! If you guys liked this, I will post it in Edward's POV as well, cuz there's a story bouncing around in my head for his side right now. So, let me know what you think by reviewing please!!**_

_**PS- No offense to Spanish soap operas! I actually watch them to brush up on my weak Spanish skills. And well, it's not just the Spanish soap operas that are overly dramatic! It's just fun to make up lines for them!**_

_**xxEmmaLynn**_


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